


Domestic Calm

by artistsfuneral



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man - All Media Types, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Because I can, Bucky Barnes Is a Good Bro, Bucky is basically Peter's brother, Domestic Avengers, Domestic Fluff, Everybody Lives, Fix-It, Gen, If You Squint - Freeform, No Beta, Not Canon Compliant, Pepper potts is a good mom, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Peter Parker is a Good Bro, Peter Parker is a Mess, Post-Avengers: Endgame (Movie), Post-Spider-Man: Far From Home, Precious Morgan Stark (Marvel Cinematic Universe), Protective Bucky Barnes, The Author Regrets Nothing, Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure, Tony Stark Has A Heart, We Die Like Men, not evryone is mentioned but they all live, tony in a wheelchair
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-22
Updated: 2019-08-22
Packaged: 2020-09-24 05:49:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,345
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20353417
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/artistsfuneral/pseuds/artistsfuneral
Summary: Plays after Endgame and two months after Far From Home. Read tags for spoilers.It's a fairly domestic and lonely morning at the compound, leaving Peter with a lot of time to think about what happened the last few years. About the good things, and about the "Quentin-Beck-tings". While his thoughts and feelings start getting to much for him to handle, he gets supported by his family. It is hard to concentrate on a press conference that is happening later, when Bucky and Morgan are spending the morning with him.





	Domestic Calm

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you all like it :D

**Domestic Calm ♪ꜝ**

Early mornings at the Avenger's Compound always were unusually quiet. So with Peter normally waking up around 5.30, when the first beams of sunlight made it to through his opened window, he had come to a fairly domestic routine.

Most of the superheros that lived at the compound – at least those left after the fight with Thanos – wore themselves out during the day and stayed up late, so no one really got up before eight or nine in the morning. Sometimes Bruce would be in his labs this early, when he was working on a project that needed his attention every few hours, but even then the living quarters and the common rooms stayed abandoned. Peter knew that Steve used to go running pretty much every day around six, but with him being an old man and not being Captain America anymore... A lot had changed in the past years and so Peter was all alone.

And he was glad that it was that way. Just because he woke up early thanks to his Spider-senses didn't mean he was a morning person. He really wasn't and usually needed two or three hours before he was comfortable enough to speak and ramble like he normally used to. Friday thankfully didn't need any words to understand what Peter wanted and his sleepy grunts and lazy gestures were enough for her to know what to do. So when he left his bed and threw on one of Mr. Stark's old T-Shirts, (it still carried his smell) she started his morning playlist and let him be. The mornings were all his.

It had been two months since Peter and his aunt moved into the compound and he still wasn't used to living here. Unlike him May felt at home the second she stepped into the building. (which probably had something to do with her and Happy sharing a room – yikes) So when he was all alone wandering alongside the giant windows he felt at peace, not feeling the need to be walking on his tiptoes still in fear of disturbing someone with him simply being here.

As he had expected the kitchen was completely empty. Someone had left a drawer open after getting a midnight snack and Peter closed it absentmindedly. He was starring into the fridge while waiting for his coffee to be brewed. He didn't feel like eggs and bacon today, so he probably would make pancakes later, when some of the others were getting up.

They did not really have a plan on who would do what chore around the building, but Peter liked making breakfast for everyone. It felt... right to take care of his makeshift family like that. It was so domestic that it didn't seem to fit into the Avenger's headquarters. But exactly because of that, it seemed to help regaining some regularity after the past – very chaotic – years. For a really long time it felt wrong thinking about whether he wanted pancakes or eggs, when it still seemed to him like yesterday that he was in space, was removed from existence for five years and helped saving the world after that. It had taken some time but eventually he had adjusted and realized that he wasn't the only one who felt that way.

So Peter kinda had taken it up on himself to decide between pancakes and eggs for everyone, hoping that they would realize what he tried to do.

And they did.

Making his way back to his room through the completely empty and oddly silent hallways the soft beat of his music followed him, thanks to Friday, letting his morning melancholy slipping through his veins. So he took a moment, letting the feeling capture his thoughts as he stared out the ridiculously big windows and watched the sun slowly sneaking up behind the trees. Peter knew he would never adjust to living at the compound. Not really. All of the major changes in his live had happened all at once, leaving him paralyzed by the sheer force of it.

Taking a sip of his still to hot coffee he let his head sway with the music and smiled at his own stupidity, because who was he to act like someone in a bad music video?

If May could see him now she would probably laugh at him, he would too.

Peter knew that he would never be able to get used to the fact that it actually took him about three minutes from his room to the kitchen. It honestly was ridiculous. Their old apartment seemed cramped compared to the headquarters. He really didn't know which one he preferred, but a little voice inside his head already knew that he would always choose a comfy little apartment over a mansion. Though he knew that Mr. Stark would have never let him living in a place smaller than a high-class loft. The man really had loved spoiling him, why ever that was. Peter could only imagine that it used to be his way of caring for someone.

With a small sigh he closed his bedroom door quietly behind him and put his cup of coffee on the (to large) desk and looked around his (to spacious) bedroom. Another thing he still had to adapt to, though it helped that he was allowed to design the room however he wanted.

Friday had already dimmed the fairy lights that covered one of the walls and several drawers and shelves in his room as the sun had come up more. The ceiling-high bookshelves looked a bit dusty and the pillows and blankets were falling out his hammock that was hanging above the windows, so that he could easily reach out for the books when he had “spideyed” his way up the wall. His desk was cluttered with all sorts of engineering equipment and his notes on photography and theater. Loki's favorite Shakespeare book was lying next to one of his signed copies of Bruce's “Advanced Biology” series. His bed wasn't made and he knew that his en suite bathroom could use cleaning as well.

Taking another sip from his coffee he decided that today should be a cleaning day.

With a wave of his hand Friday turned up the music and he started with getting all blankets and pillows and his stuffed animals (he might have been eighteen but he wasn't heartless) from the bed and out of the hammock. Shaking them all out to clear them from the cat hair that Loki had left after every time they had cuddled – of course the god would never admit that they were the black cat that visited Peter from time to time – Peter let his thoughts wander.

Loki somehow being alive was a true miracle. Peter honestly didn't really understand how they had made it but one day they just popped up in the middle of the living room, completely soaked in water from head to toe and swearing violently. Thankfully it was on one of those days that Thor visited earth to meet up with Bruce or go to new Asgard. Peter wasn't sure if it was a coincidence or not, but seeing the smug smile on Loki's face was enough to let him know that it was not. After that Thor had clinged to Loki like a child to its mother for around three weeks, until Loki had had enough and had send Thor back to the Guardians. The black cat that had appeared days later in Peter's bedroom was in serious need of attention and a lot of cuddles. But Peter enjoyed the company so he kept quiet and had just smiled shyly at the god the next time he had seen them in their human-form.

He pulled off the cover of his bed. As a kid he had despised cleaning up, but when he grew older he noticed how comforting it was for him to follow the routine of easy movements that came with it. Even if it just took an hour or two to tidy everything up it was still something soothing that let him clear his mind from everything else he was expected to do, from everything he was expected to be.

Even after all these years there were days when being Spiderman still felt like playing part of a role on a stage so big that it terrified him.

Being Peter Parker sometimes felt like an act.

He was doing better now, Peter reminded himself quickly. Today was not the right day for spiraling thoughts, he decided.

He wasn't the scared kid from Queens anymore. Spiderman was an Avenger – whatever that meant for him on the long run. He was able to stop Thanos, he was able to stop Quentin Beck. He had grown up in a lot of ways. The fifteen year old boy didn't exist any longer, but he was still Peter. Even after all that had happened. He had great friends. Friends who knew who he was and didn't treat him differently because of that.

Spending time with MJ had given him more self esteem – or so he thought.

Spending time with Morgan had made him a big brother and he loved it.

Spending time with the other superheros had taught him much.

But the most important thing was, that he finally knew that he was enough. There was no need for him to step into someones footprints, to try to act like someone he wasn't. Being Peter was enough. And simply being Spiderman was also enough. No one needed him to be “the next Ironman” or even “the next Black Widow”.

He threw the covers into his washing machine and started scrubbing the sink. Realizing all of this had taken a long time and many, many late night conversations with Mr. Stark- Tony.

Tony who barely had survived using the infinity gauntlet. Tony who had spend two weeks in the hospital before anyone was allowed to visit him. Tony who had spend his first hours awake asking again and again to see his family – including Peter.

When the boy was called by Happy he had dropped everything and basically run to the hospital. (Considering he was in school at that time, an impressive distance) Peter probably had cried for an hour after he first had seen him again, sitting up in the bed, not trapped to countless wires anymore, smiling at Peter.

Peter still remembered every single word of their conversation, as if it just happened hours ago, not months.

_“I believe it is time that we talk about a few things, Pete Pie,” Tony smiled softly at the sniffling teenager that was practically sitting in his lap. “I had a lot of time to think about all of this and I already talked with Pepper. And it would be unfair if you weren't the first one to hear this.”_

_Taking Peter's hand in his own he searched for eye contact and continued: “The day I am leaving this damned hospital... I am not going to be Ironman anymore.”_

It had been an absolute shock for Peter. Tony Stark not being Ironman seemed like an impossibility that would never occur. Growing up with Ironman as his superhero crush after Tony had saved him at Stark Con and with Tony mentoring him the second he found out about Spiderman, Peter never really thought that one day Tony could possibly want to retire.

_“I know, kid, I know. It's weird. But this time it finally feels like the right time. After Thanos... After the purple plum won and Pepper and I moved into the lake cottage... it didn't feel right, not only because it was a world without you, a world were we lost everything, but I somehow knew that that wasn't the last time I would be flying around in armor.” Tony squeezed the boys hands tightly and took a moment to breath. Talking still hurt in some way._

_“But this. This was the last time. I somehow managed to finally get everything right. Earth is save and we have kids like you and Morgan to take over now,” he smiled at the thought of his daughter in one of his suits, “and there also comes the fact that I will probably sitting in a wheelchair for the next... years. You know, with the gauntlet basically frying my hand and a lot of my muscles, I can't really stand on my own for longer then a few minutes. Believe me I tried and I tell you the physical recovery program Brucie is putting together right now is going to hurt like a bitch!”_

_He ruffled Peter's hair trying to play down the message behind his words. “Don't worry, kid, I will be alright.” And he didn't want to worry him, because the kid had already have to go through so much._

_“You're a bad liar, Mr. Stark,”_ Peter had answered with a scowl on his face. But even back then he knew that Tony would make it through this. He had already survived so much, sitting in a wheelchair wouldn't stop the billionaire. And it hadn't.

Tony had gotten used to the wheels under him fairly quickly. He had only been at the compound for a day and had already started to “tinker around” at his “new best friend”, as he had called it.

That was the first part of their conversation and by all means Peter still thought that it was the less crazier one.

_“And also I guess I have to apologize to you.” At that point Peter already wanted to argue but Tony shushed him quickly. “Pete, just listen for once, no talking back. Do an old man that favor.”_

_He smiled, waiting for Peter to compose himself before he continued. He repeated his statement: “I am apologizing, Peter. When we first met I was a huge asshole. Don't tell Pep that I used that word in front of you. Back then I honestly thought you were just another annoying kid that saw a father figure in Ironman. I didn't realize what a bright kid you already were and that you could easily keep up with me. Keep up with Tony and not only Ironman. You actually didn't need me to help you – I mean your onesie was horrible but..._

_The thing is, underoos, you did not need another father figure in your life. But I needed someone to be a son figure.”_

At that point Peter had started to cry again.

_“It is really hard not to like you and your darn baby-deer-eyes. And spending time with you, realizing how smart you are... for the first time in my life I thought about myself being a father, having a bunch of children running around my legs. And I wanted them to be just like you. You kind of managed to unlock my paternal instinct. You are the reason that I was blessed with Morgan.” Peter giggled under his tears: “I'm pretty sure Mrs. Potts played a bigger role in that than me.”_

_Tony smacked him against the head. “Stop being such a teenager! And also stop with this weird Mrs. and Mr. kink you have going on, because I swear if you keep calling me that I will-”_

Tony had never finished the last sentence but Peter could imagine some things the man would have said.

_“Because the next thing I was going to tell you would be really weird if you keep up that Mr. Stark thingy.” Tony was taking a deep breath, actually considering how to formulate the rest of his words. “Pepper and I... You are the reason why we even thought about having Morgan in the first place and we already have talked to May about this but- we want you to be Morgan's older brother. For real.”_

_“Wha- What? I- I really don't understand... What?”_

_“Peter. Pepper and I, we want to adopt you into the Stark family. You could move in with us, so you could spend more time with Morgan. Your aunt is of course also welcome, she said if you wanted to be part of our family it would be okay for her, as long as she can still be your aunt. And of course she can, this is not something to replace her or- And of course you can still keep your last name but I was actually thinking about a double name, you know? Like Peter Stark-Parker or Peter Parker-Stark? Saying it out loud I would go with the second one. It would make more sense since you know... you will be the heir to Stark Industries what was the last thing we have to talk about, because of course you still would be the heir even if you didn't want to be adopted by us… Or you can be adopted without being the heir but like, I would really think about this, kid, I mean-”_

Tony had kept on rambling for another minute until he noticed that Peter wasn't listen anymore but just blankly staring at the older man, mouth agape and eyes red from crying.

So yeah. That had also happened.

It ended up with another long heart to heart for Peter, this time with May, after she scolded him for skipping school. They stayed up all night, discussing how they would continue from now on. Because, as Tony had told him, May (amazing, lovely aunt May) was not against the adoption. She though insisted that they didn't make it public until at least after Peter's graduation, worrying about possible bullies and fake friends.

And if Peter was to move in with the Starks, she was coming with him, or would be living next to them. (“And if I have to sleep in a tent for the rest of my days!”) He had promised her that nothing about their relationship would really change. Peter loved her like a mother and nothing could ever tear them apart.

He honestly had cried a lot that week.

The compound wasn't their final place to stay, but giving his current situation it was for the best. For months his life had been pretty fucking sweet. School was good, his crush on MJ had turned into being his first love. The adoption had worked out smoothly and the media hadn't caught on. He got to spend time with his family, spoiling Morgan rotten.

He had been so excited for his graduation class trip. And then... he had fucked up.

Getting out the vacuum cleaner he asked Friday to repeat his playlist again and carried on cleaning, silently promising himself that he would never ever answer one of Fury's calls again. He had fallen into both his and Quentin Beck's hands so damn easily. His mistake was thinking, that any other person than Tony could actually be his mentor. Just because Tony wasn't Ironman anymore didn't mean that he was less of a mentor, less of a hero then before. If Peter had realized this sooner, all of this mess he was in would not have happened.

If he had been smarter, Peter would not have given the “Stark Industries Heir's glasses” to Beck, simply because he was scared of disappointing Tony.

If he had been smarter, he would have listened to his adoptive father's advice and had stayed away from Beck. But his stupid, stupid ass just had to believe the “Beck is a good person, he would never do something wrong” speech he had given Tony.

And oh, he was wrong, so terribly wrong.

He might have won against Beck, but the video of Spiderman lashing out in a fit and killing the “superhero” that all believed Mysterio to be, still had been uploaded. The video that told the whole world that Spiderman in fact was no other than a stupid teenage boy from Queens named Peter Parker.

Yeah. Maybe he should just stay at the compound for the rest of his life.

Peter groaned loudly throwing himself onto his freshly made bed. “I am so fucking stupid,” he mumbled against the covers. A great first sentence to start a day.

“Naaaw, this is so sad. Friday, play Despacito.” Bucky's dry voice in the doorway made Peter groan even louder and try to bury himself under his pillows. Bucky simply rolled his eyes. “Come on, baby spider. Stop the pity party and walk me to the kitchen like a gentleman.” Peter glared at him, trying to find a smart counter. His mind settled with; “Stop assuming my gender, jerk.” Which actually left Bucky laughing, as he entered Peter's room and picked the boy up effortlessly. “You know I can walk, right?”

“Yeah punk, but you were taking to long and I am hungry.” And with that Bucky carried Peter – thrown over his shoulders like a sack of potatoes – to the kitchen.

“Already had a coffee?” Peter groaned into his shoulder watching as his arms were swinging with every step Bucky made. “MJ is right,” he mumbled, earning an asking grunt back from the ex soldier. “You do have a nice butt.”

“Damn right I do!”

“Ugh! How can you be like... what 114? You're like... 12!”

“Sure thing, baby spider.”

In the kitchen, Bucky sat Peter on one of the counters and started a knew pot of coffee.

“So, Eggs or Pancakes?”

“Feels like a pancake day to me. With lots of that vanilla sauce.”

Bucky complied to his decision without much fuss and got to grab everything from the cabinets for Peter.

The two of them worked in comforting silence for minutes. Peter started to put the dough together and Bucky cleaned the stove and pulled out the pans for later. Apparently today was also one of his “more-thinking-then-actually-talking days”, but Peter didn't judge. Bucky had always been someone to think a lot and as long as he didn't show any signs of distress, he would let the older man just be.

When the first few pancakes were ready, Morgan came running into the kitchen, still in her pyjamas, and threw herself on top of Peter who greeted her with a big grin and gave her a kiss on her forehead. “Hey princess, slept well?”

The room was instantly filled with the excited chatter of Morgan, who told them about her dream and what exactly she was going to do that day. She also invited Bucky to her tea party in Tony's lab later.

The childlike joy that radiated from her filled the whole room like nothing ever could and Peter felt the warmth in his stomach that told him “everything is okay, you are with your family, you are loved”.

“Morning kids!” Tony came into the kitchen, supported by Pepper, greeting his children (including Bucky – who honestly would have already been adopted by them if he was younger) with a bright grin on his face.

Making grabby hands he got Peter to serve him his coffee and pulled the teenager in a hug, ruffling his hair, like he used to do every morning. Even if he was complaining quietly, everyone knew that Peter loved the act of affection. “So I heard there will be a tea party later, Lady Morguna the great?”

Peter blended out the voices, completely at peace as he finished the last pancakes, greeted Pepper with a small smile and a nod of his head and settled down on the kitchen counter with his own plate next to Bucky. Tapping the spider pendant on his bracelet he opened a holographic screen and started going over his social media and other apps.

Ned had spamed him with a bunch of links and messages about a new sci-fi movie coming out soon that they both were absolutely excited about.

MJ had send him a picture of the latest drawing she had made and Peter responded to her with many sparkling and thumbs up emojis, knowing that she was asking for his opinion because she was insecure about it.

He was just uploading a new post on tumblr about some photography tips he had collected taking pictures around the compound and during Bucky's training, when Pepper tapped his shoulder softly. “Peter, it's time that you get dressed, we don't want to make you getting late a habit like your father already did.” She smiled at Tony's scoffing and started bickering with him.

The tips of Peter's ears turned slightly red as he left the kitchen with a wave of his hand.

_His father_, gosh it was still embarrassing. Pepper had started calling Tony that three weeks ago, slowly getting him used to the idea of actually seeing both of them as his parents.

Peter did, it wasn't really hard to feel welcomed and loved around them. But the boy still hadn't crossed the line of actually calling them out loud by these terms, although he was seriously considering to do it soon.

It kinda felt like when he was ten and standing in his room in front of the mirror and saying “Mom” and “Dad” again and again in different sentences, just to see how it would sound like coming from him.

But he knew if he ever tried to do that again, there was absolutely no way that Friday wouldn't send the video footage immediately to Tony and Pepper, maybe even aunt May and (uncle) Happy. So yeah, no way he would embarrass himself like that.

But hearing Pepper and Tony already talking about him as their son, (which he was now thanks to a sheet of paper) as if it never had been different, still made him internally giggle every time.

Back again in his room, Peter asked Friday to project the outfit that he and Pepper had picked out together yesterday, so he wouldn't do a mistake. It was something rather simple but still formal enough to let him look really good without being overdressed.

Custom made black jeans to fit him perfectly and black shoes (some pricey sort of Converse Tony had bought him) were the less formal part. Completed with a tidy white dress shirt and a sand colored cardigan he was the sparkling image of cute-boy-stylish-hipster-college-student. He also wore the glasses that Tony had gifted him – that were connected to Karen and Friday – and under his dress shirt the Spiderman module, or the tap-tap Spidersuit, as Peter called it. He hoped that he wouldn't need it at the press conference they were heading to, but given his usual Peter Luck™ he was going with “better save than sorry”.

“May I say, mini-Boss, that you look rather stunning?”

He smiled. “Thanks, Friday.”

“Mrs. Potts wants me to inform you, it is know time to go to the lower levels, most the press has arrived three minutes and fourty five seconds ago.”

He let out a deep breath and straightened his back letting his shoulder loosen from their cramped state. “Okay. I will be at the elevator in a second.”

“Of course, Peter.” The boy in question smiled to the ceiling, yet again wondering how Tony had created an AI so intelligent that her voice could carry so much emotion with it.

Pepper was already waiting in the opened elevator with Tony, smiling encouraging at Peter.

“Wow, underoos, looking all fancy and grown up,” Tony whistled at Peter, who shrugged shyly with his shoulders. “I guess so, thanks.”

“Do you remember the text we have practiced?” Peter nodded and Friday send them down.

The lower levels of the compound were fully accessable for the staff and the place where all press conferences took place. It was the same place that Tony had first presented him with the Ironspider suit, but this time there really was a bunch of people with cameras waiting at the other side of the door.

Although Tony had taken the video, that Quentin Beck had uploaded before his death, down as soon as he had seen it, they never really had taken a public stand. Peter was taken to the compound to “protect the innocent teenager that was hurled into this misunderstanding.” But it had been two months and people were still not letting loose.

With many afraid of Spiderman being a bad guy Peter wasn't able to go on patrol anymore.

And with so many theories about Peter, the boy wasn't able to leave the compound. There were worse things, the area was big enough for him not getting bored so easily, but he missed his friends. Video chatting wasn't the same as seeing them in person and he wanted to move to the lake house with his family, he wanted to go to collage and be Spiderman again.

As soon as the three of them entered the room, chaos broke out and pictures were taken. Remembering what his parents had taught him, Peter kept his head narrowed to the side to avoid the flashing hurt his eyes and then locked his view on the wall behind the reporters. Tony would do the talking at first, saving him from the worst.

The story they had worked on was mostly true. Supported by video footage by Friday and Karen, Tony explained the technology Beck had been using and that the shown video was cut together to let Spiderman look bad. He even was going so far to promise them as Ironman, that Spiderman was absolutely no threat to anyone because “the superheros heart was basically made out of gold”.

It was honestly amazing to see how much impact Tony still had on all those people. Ironman or not, if Tony promised that someone was a good person, people believed him. Peter knew he would probably still have to work hard to support the statement and gain the peoples trust again, but now there was a high chance of recovery for him.

And then it was his time to speak. He took a last deep breath and stepped to the podium.

“Hi everyone. I know most of you already guessed it right but I want to introduce myself.” He flashed a short grin to the reporters like they had trained and continued:

“My name is Peter Benjamin Parker-Stark. And that is the thing you didn't know. Quentin Beck, or as we knew him as Mysterio, wanted to kill two flies with one strike. So he did not only sullied the good name of Spiderman, but also mine. Because he knew due to a leak in the system, that I am the firstborn son of Tony Stark and Pepper Potts.”

People gasped in unison and started to take pictures again, Peter gave them a moment. It was not technically a lie. He was legally the son of Pepper and Tony, although the “firstborn” thing was not so true.

“My parents kept me out of the public eye to protect me from highly possible threats, given the fact that my father was well known as Ironman.”

Oh dear Thor, Peter prayed silently, not only had he said _parents_ for the first time but also he had called Tony _his father_, in front of probably fifty people!

“I am also the heir to Stark Industries. Quentin Beck chose me for his mind game trying to ruin my future takeover of the company.”

He allowed himself to glance at Tony, who was sitting – back straight – in his wheelchair, pride radiating from him as he nodded Peter to go on.

“I am aware that there have been many theories about the connection between me and Spiderman.”

Ok, here was the thing. He knew he was supposed to say “We are not the same person” and that Spiderman was just another Avenger that he had met once or twice, but... when they discussed this there also had been a breve second where they were contemplating whether or not they should reveal his identity.

Decisions. Decisions...

He took another glance at Tony, seeing in the man's face that he started to realize what Peter was up to. The teenagers mind was racing a thousand miles per second, leaving the index finger of his right hand twitching.

The room was completely silent and the Spiderman module felt heavy on his chest. Was there a possibility that he could do it? Could he still go to college, act like every other person his age? Could he still be Peter...?

“Kid.” Peters head snapped to his left where Tony was sitting. It had only been a few seconds since he stopped talking, there was still a chance to continue on like nothing had happened.

“Kid. It's okay,” Tony spoke softly, only Peter being able to hear him thanks to his abilities.

“The truth is,” Peter's voice hovered over his audiences heads. He could feel how his mother caught on what was about to happen, she didn't interfere. “I am Spiderman.”

He tapped twice on his chest, feeling how the Ironspider suit formed around him, shielding him like a cocoon. He left the stage, followed by Tony and Pepper, latter put an arm around his shoulders, showing silent support, while the world around him broke out into complete chaos.

There was no going back now.

.

.

.

Shiiiiiiiiiit.

What the actual fuck had he just done? Wasn't he supposed to be the smart kid?

Oh gods, what had he done?

He should have asked first! What was he thinking? Since when was he the fuck-it-I-am-doing-this person? He had basically no self esteem! How was he supposed to go out now that everyone knew about his secret identity? Secret -ha! Oh Shit, what would MJ say? Was she okay with him openly being Spiderman? Would she break up with him? What if-

“Peter!”

He gasped loudly as someone removed the suit from him.

“Peter, come on kid, look at me. That's it, okay? Breathe, everything is okay.”

“What the- … w- what? I-, I- … what?” Breathless Peter started to ramble in his panic, the touch of Tony's hands in his own slowly grounding him. “It's okay Pete, everything is okay. You did nothing wrong,” Tony reassured him again and again until he had calmed down. “You think you can give me some numbers, Pete?”

Numbers? Numbers. The number system they had created. Numbers were easy, codes made sense. “Fifteen. Twelve. Thirty two? Five. Three.” The words spilled from Peter's mouth without much thinking. He knew that Tony knew what he wanted to say. Tony always understood.

15 – _I am scared_

12 – _I am confused_

32 – _Change of location_

5 – _I trust you, I need your help_

3 – _I am sorry_

“Okay,” Tony simply answered, making eye contact with Pepper and gesturing to the elevator. She understood and lead Peter to it, walking slowly so he wouldn't stumble. As soon as the doors closed some tension left Peter's body and he slumped against Pepper. “Sorry,” he breathed out, his voice felt tiny as he spoke.

They settled on the couch in the empty living room, Peter curled up against Tony's side, still holding onto Pepper's hand. They didn't speak for what felt an eternity, letting Peter calm down, sorting his thoughts until he felt good enough to let go of his mother's hand and left his father's embrace.

“I don't know what happened there. I really don't know. Suddenly all I could think about was how-” again he didn't finish his sentence, but this time because of Pepper.

“Honey, we are not mad at you. No one is. What you did there might not have been what we agreed on at first, but it was still very brave of you to do so.” She smiled and looked between her two boys as if she could see something that they could not. “It is amazing how similar you are.” Only then Peter realized that he had used the exact same words that his father had used way back, when he admitted being Ironman. At once his face grew bright red and he avoided eye contact with the two of them. People were probably going to think that he did so intentionally. “I just thought, if I said it now, then maybe... it would be easier? Not constantly having to find excuses why and where I was going, you know?”

Pepper smiled and nodded understandingly. “I know, Pete. Don't worry about it. What you did was right. We support you, no matter what happens next.”

Peter smiled at the ground, the warm feeling in his stomach had returned. “Thanks,” he answered quietly, “Mom.”

The loud, offended gasp from Tony made him snort. “Did you hear that! Pep, did you hear that? That were his first words! Peter's first words were Mom! I can't believe it! I have taken in a traitor! All these years I spend caring for you, protecting you from all evil and your first words are what? Thanks, Mom!?”

Peter's snorting had turned into a full laughing fit that Pepper joined in. “Betrayed by my own son. I am going to die as a lonely and sad man.”

Peter grinned widely – all sorrow forgotten for now – and fistbumped with Pepper.

“Tony, don't be such a drama Queen!”

The man in question stared at him in shock. “You know what, young man? No. No you don't get to call me Tony anymore. This is a knew house rule!”

“Sure thing, Mr. Stark.”

“That's it. I am going to disown you.”

Later that day, when Bucky and Morgan would enter the living room together to get everyone who was invited to the tea party, they would be greeted by a still pouting Tony slumped on the couch, Pepper working on her Stark tablet like she usually did – probably going over the latest news –, May and Happy preparing dinner together (Happy was making sure that the food was actually eatable), Bruce sitting in his reading chair with a book in his lap and a beaming Peter who was wildly gesturing while he was video chatting with MJ, Ned and Shuri.

Normality had settled back in and though Bucky knew that it wouldn't last as long as he hoped it to, he still smiled at the domestic calm.

**♪ꜝ**

**Author's Note:**

> Okay. Listen.
> 
> Clint and Natasha are with Clint's family.  
Vision and Wanda are somewhere doing whatever Vision and Wanda would do.  
Stephen is of course at the sanctuarium.  
Thor is spending his time with the Guardians while Loki rather stays on earth. Loki is genderfluid. Just accept it.  
Bruce, Bucky and the Stark family (including Bucky) are usually at the compund.  
May and Happy are a thing.
> 
> Thank you for reading until now ♪ꜝ


End file.
